Kosher certification is a standalone international quality standard which is increasingly prevalent in the food ingredients and retail sector.
Walk into any supermarket in North America or Europe and you will see that a significant portion of the food and drink is certified kosher, from the coveted Mars Bar, Marmite, to McCain’s oven chips.
Kosher certification can help generate additional sales revenue by providing an avenue to gain access to new markets and customers.
Kosher products require kosher certified ingredients. Ingredient buyers specify kosher knowing that their supplier’s manufacturing process has been independently audited. This gives an extra level of comfort that is not always there with other certifications. In some supply chains manufacturers of certain ingredients have no choice but to certify for kosher if they are to qualify for inclusion on the buyers list.
In some companies where the final products may not be certified the manufacturer will nevertheless insist that all ingredients comply with kosher standards. Furthermore in this age of rationalisation of supply chains buyers are looking for fewer suppliers that can provide a wider range of ingredients. Those able to offer both kosher and non-kosher ingredients are more likely to win the business.
What are your customers demanding?
When selecting a kosher certification agency there are a few things that companies should take into consideration.
It is important that your kosher certificate is globally accepted by consumers, manufacturers and other kosher certification agencies. KLBD has been operating for over a century. As Europe’s largest kosher agency KLBD is respected and accepted by all parties worldwide. KLBD is also known as Badatz London. Some manufacturers, importers or consumers in Israel might be looking for a ‘Badatz’ certification. KLBD, as part of the London Beth Din, can offer the ‘Badatz’ certification. We can provide companies with a Hebrew logo which will fulfil these requirements and appease these demands.
Kosher certification can present challenges, it is important that an agency has experience in dealing with these so that you get the best service. KLBD is noted for its pragmatic approach to problem solving the challenges faced in certain complex production environments. Our office based team is on-hand to work together with you throughout the entire process from application to post certification marketing.
The agency you choose should also have knowledge of your specific product or service. KLBD’s expertise includes flavours, aromas, herbal extracts, dairy ingredients, fats, oils and retail products. Of course, the fee is going to be an important factor to consider when choosing an agency. KLBD guarantees to always offer a competitive price for their kosher certification services.
The additional services being offered are also important to consider. KLBD recognises that tastes and health concerns are changing and is quick to react to and service these new trends in food production, allowing us to adapt according to your company’s needs.
Our designated marketing team assist companies in reaching the market. Our kosher certified companies gain unprecedented exposure on our social media platforms, e-newsletters, food events, trade shows, app and website.
Facebook group
KLBD’s extremely active Facebook group has over 7000 consumers looking for kosher products. Once certified we will post in the group to let consumers know! We also regularly publish recipes, photos and reminders for KLBD certified products. As a KLBD certified company your products will be able to benefit from this unique social media platform and direct access to your target market.
Similar to our Facebook group our twitter is a unique social media platform with nearly 3000 followers all actively searching for new and old kosher certified products. Once certified, we will tweet about your products. We also regularly tweet to remind consumers about KLBD certified products.
Food events
Our marketing team arrange food events with consumers, around the entire country, where we offer consumers a chance to taste the latest kosher certified products, as well as some old favourites. This is a fantastic opportunity for consumers to sample your products! We also hand out leaflets containing information about the products.
Trade Shows
Our marketing team regularly exhibit at trade shows both nationally and internationally. These shows are an opportunity for your products to gain extra exposure in both our display cabinet and in our samples basket. Often, we get people stopping to enquire about the products we display. We just ask you to send us samples, the rest of the work is left to us!
E-Newsletter
We have two newsletters which go out to our targeted mailing lists. Our consumer newsletter features newly certified products and reminders about some old favourites. Our distributor newsletter goes out to distributors around the world, featuring all newly certified products. We have found this helps trade sales, and has, in the past, been a catalyst for export to particular countries.
App and website
As a KLBD kosher certified company you get a free listing on both our app and our two kosher product searches. Our searches are used by consumers all around the country, and by tourists, to find kosher certified products.
In recent years demand for kosher certified products has increased dramatically. A quartz article, 2015, identified that less than 2% of the USA’s population is Jewish yet 41% of the country’s packaged food is kosher.
In 2009, the kosher industry was estimated to be worth around $17 billion, with an annual growth rate of around 15% and in 2010 the New York Times claimed it was one of the hottest food trends.
The kosher food market encompasses almost every segment of the food and drink industry from ingredients including chemicals, baking products to processed food & beverages and food packaging. In addition some vitamins and over the counter (OTC) pharmaceuticals are kosher certified. Almost all major manufacturers produce at least some food products that bear the kosher symbol, including Mars, Tate & Lyle, Cadbury’s and Unilever.
Kosher certification can support changes and trends in the food and beverage industry, particularly continued demand for clean and clear labelling and greater transparency. The kosher logo can:
The kosher logo was found by Mintel, 2014, to be the leading claim on new products in North America, at 41% nearly twice as much as the ubiquitous claim of gluten-free. This provides a good indication of growth areas and the direction in which the market is headed.
Kosher products also featured as a trend theme at Anuga 2015. According to Innova Market Insights new products with a kosher claim increased by 38% in 2013 from 2012 and a further 21% from 2014 to 2013. This highlights the significant market potential for kosher certification.
Innova Market Insights also segmented kosher product launches in 2014 by region and by category.Sources
Following recent scandals in the food & beverage industry consumers have been increasingly concerned about the origins of their food; kosher certification is a means of providing certain assurances to consumers.
Not only those following a kosher diet look for the kosher logo. Where there is no Halal certification, Muslims rely on the kosher certificate. Vegetarians understand that a kosher logo will signify if there is meat or fish in a product. Kosher logos also highlight when dairy is present in a product which is very useful for consumers with allergies.
According to a Mintel survey in 2008 consumers also prefer kosher food for reasons of food quality (62%) or for general healthiness (51%).
In a survey by the Mintel group in 2005 55% of respondents who bought kosher foods said they thought these foods held a higher mark of health and safety than non-kosher items, 38% were vegetarians and 16% said they eat halal.
Multinational brands such as McCain’s have recently attained kosher certification. As more manufacturers enter the kosher market the consumer has greater choice; at the same time retail prices for kosher products have fallen.
